The Veterinarian Part 32

TUBERCULOSIS

CAUSE: This dreaded disease is caused by the Bacillus of Tuberculosis.

Damp, ill-ventilated, and poorly lighted coops are favorable to the development of the disease.

SYMPTOMS: Except in advanced stages, this disease is not easily detected as it affects various organs, and considerable experience in post-mortems and a skillful use of the microscope is required to successfully diagnose a case.

TREATMENT: Preventive measures should be practiced as the disease is incurable. Do not expose the fowls to cold wet weather. See that the coops are well ventilated and lighted and feed no contaminated food.

VENT GLEET

CAUSE: Constipation is perhaps the most common cause, the hard droppings causing irritation of the vent which is followed by inflammation and suppuration of the lining membranes, r.e.c.t.u.m and oviduct.

SYMPTOMS: Frequent straining due to irritation. As the disease progresses a pus-like discharge is noticed. The disease may extend into the r.e.c.t.u.m or oviduct. The bird appears stupid, the plumage rough, the comb pale, and if not properly treated, dies a lingering death.

TREATMENT: Preventive treatment is the best. Feed green food occasionally and warm bran mashes. This prevents constipation. When the bird strains frequently and a discharge is present the following solution should be injected: Sugar of Lead, two drams; Zinc Sulphate, one dram. Mix with two quarts of water. Inject about one ounce with a syringe twice daily until the discharge has ceased.

WHITE DIARRHOEA

(Fowl Cholera)

CAUSE: Germ (Bacilli of Fowl Cholera) gaining entrance to the body through the bowels, lungs or wounds of the skin. Death results from toxic material produced while the germs are multiplying.

SYMPTOMS: All poultry, cage or wild birds are subject to this disease.

The first symptoms are loss of appet.i.te; diarrhoea is present and the discharge is almost white in color and tinged with transparent mucus.

The affected bird becomes separated from the flock, seems weak and stupid and appears to be asleep; feathers are rough, the wings droop and the head is drawn in toward the body; crop is generally full, owing to improper digestion. The comb is pale and bloodless, the temperature raised from three to five degrees above normal and the bird loses weight rapidly; it may die with convulsions and cries, or without a sound or struggle.

TREATMENT: To grown fowls, give Zinc Sulphocarbolates in one-half grain doses three times a day in their food or drinking water. To chicks, dissolve thirty grains of Zinc Sulphocarbolates in two quarts of water.

Saturate feed, as stale bread, etc., and give three times a day. Zinc Sulphocarbolates is an antiseptic especially prepared for septic conditions of the intestines, and very useful in treatment of White Diarrhoea and Fowl Cholera. In severe cases of diarrhoea, give Bis.m.u.th Salicylate, one grain, three times daily in feed or make into a pill with dough. When the fowls will eat, feed them clean, nitrogenous food that they can digest easily, as oatmeal mashes. It is also necessary to give them pure water to drink at all times. Disinfection of the premises is another essential factor in the treatment of this disease, and undiluted Crude Carbolic Acid is a disinfectant that we can rely upon at all times.

I cannot recommend vaccination as the serum is very difficult and expensive to produce and different breeds of birds require varying doses, therefore, vaccinating poultry for White Diarrhoea or Fowl Cholera is not attended with any great degree of success.

WORMS

CAUSE: Few fowls are entirely free from worms. The soil over which the chicks are permitted to run may be infected, or the food may contain the eggs or embryos of worms.

SYMPTOMS: The presence of worms in fowls may not be at once detected, since only a close observer would notice them in the droppings. If the birds eat well but remain poor, and the feathers appear rough and the comb and wattles pale, there is reason to suspect the existence of worms.

TREATMENT: Preventive treatment is the best. Sprinkle the runs and coops regularly with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted. Give two drops of Turpentine in twice this quant.i.ty of Sweet or Olive Oil. This dose should be repeated in from six to eight days so as to insure the expulsion of the newly hatched worms or those that may have survived the first treatment.

MISCELLANEOUS

Some valuable facts and figures summed up for handy reference

VALUABLE DRUGS AND THEIR DOSES FOR DOMESTIC ANIMALS

In the list of doses, oz. stands for ounce, pt. for pint, lb. for pound, gr. for grain, dr. for dram, dp. for drop.

NAME OF DRUG CATTLE SHEEP HORSES HOGS DOGS Alcohol 4 oz. 1-2 oz. 2-4 oz. 1-2 oz. 1-4 dr.

Alum 3-4 dr. 40 gr. 2-4 dr. 40 gr. 15 gr.

Ammonia Aromatic 2 oz. 1-2 dr. 1-2 oz. 1-2 dr. 20-60 dp.

Aniseed 1-5 oz. 1-2 dr. 1 oz. 1 dr. 15 gr.

Arnica Tincture 1 oz. 2 dr .5-1 oz. 1 dr. 7-20 dp.

Asafetida Tincture 3 oz. .5 oz. 2 oz. 2 dr. 1 dr.

Boracic Acid 3 dr. 20 gr. 1-3 dr. 15 gr. 8 gr.

Brandy 4 oz. 1-2 oz. 2-4 oz. 1-2 oz. 1-2 dr.

Calcium Phosphate 1 oz. 1-2 dr. 2-4 dr. 1-2 dr. 5-20 gr.

Calomel 1-2 dr. 5-20 gr. 1 dr. 5-20 gr. 1 gr.

Camphor Spirit 1 oz. 2 dr. 2-4 dr. 15 dp. 10 dp.

Carbolic Acid 1-2 dr. 10-20 dp. .5-2 dr. 5-15 dp. 3-8 dp.

Castor Oil 1 pt. 2-4 oz. 1 pt. 2-4 oz. 1-2 dr.

Chalk 2 oz. 1-2 dr. .5-2 oz. 1 dr. .5-1 dr.

Charcoal 1-2 oz. 2-4 dr. 1-2 oz. 2-4 dr. 20-60 gr.

Codliver Oil 3-8 oz. 3-8 dr. 2-6 oz. 2-6 dr. 1-3 dr.

Copperas 2 dr. 20 gr. 1 dr. 10 gr. 4 gr.

Copper Sulphate 2-4 dr. 20-30 gr. 2-4 dr. 20-30 gr. 1-2 gr.

Digitalis 10-30 gr. 5-15 gr. 10-50 gr 3-10 gr. 2 gr.

Epsom Salts 1 lb. 1-4 oz. .5-1 lb. 1 oz. 1-4 dr.

Fowler's Solution 5 dr. 5-20 dp. 2-4 dr. 5-20 dp. 1-5 dp.

Gentian 5-8 dr. 1-2 dr. 4-8 dr. 1-2 dr. 40 gr.

Ginger 5-8 dr. 1-2 dr. 2-8 dr. 15-60 gr. 5-20 gr.

Glauber Salts 1-1.5 lb. 1-4 dr. .5-1 lb. 1 oz. 1-4 dr.

Iodide of Potash 1-2 dr. 10-25 gr. .5-2 dr. 5-20 gr. 2-8 gr.

Iron Sulphate 2 dr. 25 gr. 1-2 dr. 25 gr. 4 gr.

Jamaica Ginger 2 oz. .5 oz. 1 oz. .5-1 dr. 1/4-1/2 dr.

Laudanum 2-5 oz. 1-4 dr. 1-4 oz. 1-2 dr. 20 dp.

Lead Acetate 1 dr. 25 gr. 1 dr. 20 gr. 1-2 gr.

Lime Water 4-6 oz. 2 oz. 4-6 oz. 2 oz. 1-8 dr.

Linseed Oil 1-2 pt. 6-12 oz. .5-1 pt. 5-10 oz. 1 oz.

Mustard 1 oz. 1-2 dr. .5-1 oz. 1-2 dr. 20 gr.

Nitre 3-8 oz. 1 dr. 1-2 oz. 1 dr. 5-20 gr.

Nux Vomica 2 dr. 30-40 gr. 1-2 dr. 10-20 gr. 1-2 gr.

Olive Oil 1-2 pt. 3-8 dr. 1-2 pt. 2-6 dr. 2-4 oz.

Pepper 2-4 dr. 15-25 gr. 1-3 dr. 10-20 gr. 4-10 gr.

Peppermint Oil 30 dp. 5-8 dp. 15-30 dp. 3-7 dp. 1-5 dp.

Pota.s.sium Bromide 2 oz. 2-4 dr. 1-2 oz. 2-4 dr. 5-50 gr.